Tony Powell-Featured Intern

Best Buy is a consumer electronics retailer based in Richfield, MN with an annual revenue of $42B. Best Buy was originally the Sound of Music but after a tornado swept through its original store, the company found its focus in consumer electronics. Today, Best Buy’s physical presence is in over 1,000 stores globally. Best Buy’s products consist of anything from appliances to TV’s to even more recently, toys. Some of the growing service options that they offer is Geek Squad to repair your electronics, Total Tech Support to provide assistance to everyday technology questions and In-Home Consultation where a smart-home expert can offer suggestions on in-home technology solutions. 

As a Returns and Expense Reduction Intern, I was responsible for making sure the vendor action log was updated for our Monday business partner meetings, and analyzing appliance return avoidance calls. Much of my work with the vendor action log was team-focused. I would ask individuals whom are responsible in their own areas for summarizes of some of the initiatives being done on a weekly basis. The focused initiatives ranged from better packaging to improved handling processes with Best Buy. The analyst work with appliance avoidance was a part of a pilot program to reduce appliance returns and provide the customer with a better solution to their problems. Some of the side projects consisted of either vendor requests, merchant requests or work to explore new opportunities to reduce expense to the company’s bottom line.

My goal of going outside my comfort zone and networking with the right people was an accomplishment I’m proud of. I utilized my resources and created lasting relationships with impactful individuals at Best Buy Corporate. I was able to find a balance with my time to network with others and produce work on a daily basis. One learning outcome I took away from the internship was don’t be afraid to ask questions. While it might be a simple outcome, asking the right questions and showing interest goes a long way with others. If someone’s asking important and thought-provoking questions, you’re more likely to take more away from the situation. Finally, my goal of using my store-experience in inventory to make a change was accomplished. I’ve been able to use my store-experience to provide feedback on anti-tip suggestions and appliance damage reduction  suggestions. 

This internship has built my self-esteem up. I’ve learned I’m capable of becoming a better version of myself if I’m given the opportunity to show my skills and utilize my resources. This internship has allowed me to bring in my course work, my store experience, my personal strengths, and weaknesses and create a name for myself. I don’t think I’ve ever been encouraged to use common sense and explore what’s possible. Most people don’t value the resources and opportunities that the internship has given them. Best Buy is full of growth opportunities and encourages you to not be afraid to fail. Learning from challenge and change is one of their values and that resonated every day of my internship. This experience has given me a unique perspective of what I want to do. I’ve learned I can explore what I enjoy doing and what best fits my abilities at Best Buy. Getting a Business Management degree has allowed me to keep my options open and explore new possibilities. With my experience, it has defined that I’m on the right path to success and that I’m passionate about what I’m doing.

My advice to fellow students would be to follow your passions during an internship. Use your passions to find new opportunities and connect with new people. I went outside my comfort zone and took initiative and networked with others in areas that interested me. Finding a good balance of managing the work and utilizing your resources will go a long way. Taking the time to meet with other interns in different areas of the business will provide unique insight into the type of work they’ve done and what the roles are like. My final piece of advice would be to use career services to get feedback on your resume and work with career counselors to help determine what fits your interests.